The 1996 World Rally Championship was the 24th season of the FIA World Rally Championship. The season consisted of 9 rallies. As a result of their disqualification, Toyota Team Europe were not allowed to compete in this year's championship, so only three works teams contested the championship. The drivers' world championship was won by Tommi Mäkinen in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 3, ahead of Colin McRae and Carlos Sainz. The manufacturers' title was won by Subaru.

Calendar

The 1996 championship was contested over nine rounds in Europe, Africa, Asia, South America and Oceania.

Rd.Start dateFinish dateRallyRally headquartersSurfaceStagesDistance19 February11 February 45th International Swedish RallyKarlstad, Värmland CountySnow27490.64 km25 April7 April 44th Safari Rally KenyaNairobiGravel151784.40 km310 May12 May 21st Bank Utama Rally IndonesiaMedan, North SumatraGravel27452.29 km42 June4 June 43rd Acropolis RallyAthensGravel21454.34 km54 July6 July 16th Rally ArgentinaCarlos Paz, CórdobaGravel28516.15 km623 August26 August 46th Neste 1000 Lakes RallyJyväskylä, Central FinlandGravel29478.93 km713 September16 September 9th Rally AustraliaPerth, Western AustraliaGravel27475.92 km813 October16 October 38th Rallye Sanremo - Rallye d'ItaliaSanremo, LiguriaMixed18413.32 km923 November25 November 32nd Rallye Catalunya - Costa Brava - Rallye de EspañaLloret de Mar, CataloniaTarmac18393.26 kmSources:

Teams and drivers

Manufacturer entries Team Manufacturer Car Tyre No. Driver Co-Driver Rounds 555 Subaru WRT Subaru Impreza 555 1 Colin McRae Derek Ringer All 2 Kenneth Eriksson Staffan Parmander All3 Didier Auriol Bernard Occelli1 Piero Liatti Mario Ferfoglia2 Fabrizia Pons3–5, 7–9 10 Mario Ferfoglia 1 Ford Motor Co. Ltd.FordEscort RS Cosworth 4 Carlos Sainz Luis Moya All5 François Delecour Daniel Grataloup 1 Stig Blomqvist Benny Melander 2 Gwyndaf Evans Howard Davies 3 Bruno Thiry Stéphane Prévot4–96 Stig Blomqvist Benny Melander1 Dandy Rukmana Supi Sabastian314 Ari Vatanen Fabrizia Pons 1 16 Ari Mökkönen Voitto Silander 4 Mitsubishi RalliartMitsubishiLancer Evo III7 Tommi Mäkinen Seppo Harjanne 1–8 Juha Repo 9Lancer Evo III (Grp. N)8 Kenneth Bäcklund Tord Andersson 1Lancer Evo III Kenjiro Shinozuka Pentti Kuukkala2 Richard Burns Robert Reid3, 5, 7, 9Lancer Evo III (Grp. N) Uwe Nittel Tina Thörner 4Lancer Evo III Lasse Lampi Jyrki Stenroos6 Didier Auriol Denis Giraudet8Lancer Evo III (Grp. N)9 Uwe Nittel Tina Thörner1, 5, 8Lancer Evo III? Yoshihiro Kataoka Satoshi Hayashi3Lancer Evo III (Grp. N) Jouko Puhakka Keijo Eerola6? Ed Ordynski Mark Stacey7?29 Yoshihiro Kataoka Satoshi Hayashi7* Uwe Nittel Christina Thörner6–7, 9

Non Manufacturer Entries Major entries not registered as manufacturers Team Manufacturer CarTyre DriversCo-drivers Rounds Toyota Castrol Team Sweden Toyota Celica GT-Four (ST205) Thomas Rådström Lars Bäckman 1 Denis Giraudet 9 Juha Kankkunen Nicky Grist 1 'Gullabo' Ingemar Algerstedt 1 Toyota Castrol Finland Marcus Grönholm Timo Rautiainen 1, 6 Thomas Rådström Lars Bäckman 6 Juha Kankkunen Nicky Grist 6 Toyota Kenya Ian Duncan David Williamson 2 Toyota Team Australia Juha Kankkunen Nicky Grist 3? Neal Bates Coral Taylor 7 Reza Pribadi? Reza Pribadi Denis Giraudet 3 H.F. Grifone SRL Rui Madeira Nuno Rodrigues da Silva 4–5, 8–9 Thomas Rådström Denis Giraudet 4 Gilberto Pianezzola Loris Roggia 4–5, 8 Andrea Dallavilla Danilo Fappani 6, 8 János jun. Tóth Danilo Fappani 8 Matteo Luise Raffaele Caliro 8 Toyota Team Belgium Freddy Loix Sven Smeets 4, 8–9 ToyotoshiCelica Turbo 4WD (ST185) Marco Galanti Jr. Victor Zucchini 1, 5 Martin Christie 2 Mobil 1 Stomil Olsztyn Krzysztof Hołowczyc Maciej Wisławski 1 Jonathan Toroitich Jonathan Toroitich Ibrahim Choge 2 Tein Sport Yoshio Fujimoto Arne Hertz 3, 7 Jean-Pierre Richelmi Jean-Pierre Richelmi Thierry Barjou 4 Ford Team FinlandFordEscort RS Cosworth Sebastian Lindholm Timo Hantunen 1, 6 Shell Motorsport Norway? Birger Gundersen Cato Menkerud1 Mobil Ford Motorsport Per Svan Johan Olsson 1 Ford Motorsport Indonesia? Dolly Indra Nasution Farid Sungkar 3 Danny Rukmana Raphael Arioseno 3 Bank Utama Rally Team? Pratikto Singgih Hervian Soejono 3 Bobby Willis 7 Yacco R.A.S. Ford Patrick Bernardini Bernard Occelli 4 Catherine François 5 Dominique Savignoni 8–9 Stephen Finlay Stephen Finlay Robbie Philpott4 Leonídas Kirkos Leonídas Kirkos Ioánnis Stavropoulos4 Blue Rose Team Jarmo Kytölehto Arto Kapanen6, 8–9 Promoracing Finland Harri Rovanperä Juha Repo6 Jan Habig? Jan Habig Douglas Judd7 Jolly Club Gianfranco Cunico Pierangelo Scalvini8 Ford EspañaEscort RS 2000 MKVI Daniel Alonso Villarón Salvador Belzunces9 Clarion Team EuropeSubaruLegacy RS Per Eklund Anders Olsson1 Goro Rally TeamImpreza 555? Ricardo Gelael Adiguna Sutowo3 Impreza Motorsport? Tony Hardianto Anthony Sarwono3 Gading Rally Team? Irvan Gading Karel Harilatu3 Impreza Recaro Fujitsubo? Masao Kamioka Kevin Gormley4, 6 A.R.T Engineering Angelo Medeghini Barbara Medeghini4–6, 8–9 Andrea Navarra Renzo Casazza6, 8 F.Dor Rally Team Frédéric Dor Didier Breton4, 6 Kevin Gormley8 Manfred Stohl Manfred Stohl Peter Müller5 Growth International Motorsport? Peter 'Possum' Bourne Craig Vincent7 "Zeeohg"? "Zeeohg" Raffy Etyemezian9 Joakim AnderssonVolkswagenGolf III GTi 16V? Joakim Andersson Micael Eriksson1 Volkswagen Motorsport Sweden? Jörgen Jonasson Nicklas Jonasson1 Harry Joki Per Carlsson1 Blue Rose Team? Tapio Laukkanen Risto Mannisenmäki6 Darko Peljhan? Darko Peljhan Miran Kacin8 Opel Team SwedenOpelAstra GSi 16V? Mats Jonsson Johnny Johansson1 Remus Racing? Kris Rosenberger Peter Diekmann5, 8–9 Stohl RacingAudiCoupé S2 Rudolf Stohl Jürgen Bertl2 Kay Gerlach4 Manfred Stohl2 Peter Müller9 Silverstone Suzuki SportSuzukiSwift GTi MK2S Nobuhiro Tajima Visut Sukosi3Baleno Ross Runnalls7 Hyundai Rally SportHyundaiLantra? Wayne Bell Iain Stewart3, 7Coupé Greg Carr Glenn Macneall3, 7 Kim Dong-Ok Andrew Graham Walker3 Kim Han Bong7 Kia Motorsport KoreaKiaSephia? Rob Herridge Chris Randell3, 7 Dean Herridge Rod van der Straaten3, 7 Park Jeong-Ryong Jim Carlton3, 7 Konstantinos ApostolouLanciaDelta HF Integrale? Konstantinos Apostolou Mihalis Kriadis4 Autostal DuindistelMazda323 GT-R? Gaby Goudezeune Filip De Pelsemaeker4 TechnocarSEATIbiza GTi 16V? "Stratissino" Tonia Pavli4 SEAT SportIbiza Kit Car Jesús Puras Carlos del Barrio5, 7, 9 Erwin Weber Manfred Hiemer5, 7 Antonio Rius Manuel Casanova7, 9 Josep María Bardolet Joaquim Muntada9 Škoda MotorsportŠkodaFelicia Kit Car Emil Triner Pavel Štanc5, 7, 9 Pavel Sibera Petr Gross5, 7, 9 Stig Blomqvist Benny Melander7 Bernard Munster Jean-François Elst9 Cimauto SportRenaultClio Williams? Gabriel Raies Jose Maria Volta5 Walter Suriani? Walter Suriani Raúl Rosso5 Renault Team Sweden? Jonas Kruse Anders Dawidson1Mégane Maxi? Anders Olsson6 Paolo Andreucci Paolo Andreucci Simona Fedeli8 Husky S.R.L. Piero Longhi Luigi Pirollo8 Mirabella Mille Miglia Diego Oldrati Paolo Lizzi8 Renault Sport España Oriol Gómez Marc Martí9 SanYang MIT MotorsportHondaCivic VTi? Alister McRae David Senior7 Daihatsu AustraliaDaihatsuCharade GTi? Robert Nicoli Claire Parker7 Peugeot Sport EspañaPeugeot306 S16? Jaime Azcona Alfredo Rodríguez9 Manuel Muniente Joan Ibáñez Sotos9

Group N Cup major entries Team Manufacturer CarTyre DriversCo-drivers Rounds Mitsubishi Ralliart Sweden Mitsubishi Lancer Evo III Kenneth Bäcklund Tord Andersson 1 Stig-Olov Walfridsson Gunnar Barth 1 Mitsubishi Ralliart Germany Uwe Nittel Christina Thörner 1, 4–9 Jorge Recalde Martin Christie 4–9 Eesti Helkama Auto AS Ivar Raidam Margus Karjane 1, 6 Race-Rent Motorsport Gustavo Trelles Jorge Del Buono 3–9 Chandra Alim? Chandra Alim Prihatin Kasiman 3 Mitsubishi Ralliart Indonesia? Bambang Hartono Agung Baskoro 3 Toshiaki Endo? Toshiaki Endo Yutaka Yasunami 3 Mitsubishi Ralliart Zushi? Yoshihiro Kataoka Satoshi Hayashi 3, 7 Renstal de Bokkenrijders Pascal Smets Jean-Paul S'Heeren 4, 8 Esso Motorsports Finland? Olli Harkki Kari Mustalahti 6 Jolly Club Piergiorgio Bedini Luciano Tedeschini 6, 8 Les Walkden Racing? Ed Ordynski Mark Stacey 7 Michael Guest? Michael Guest Steve O'Brien-Pounde 7 Masayuki Akaba? Masayuki Akaba Takako Akaba 7 Antonello Fidanza? Antonello Fidanza Raffaele Farina 7–8 Jacques Andreani Jacques Andreani Cédric Pirotte 9 Bilsport MagazineLancer Evo II? Gert Blomqvist Lena Lindberg 1 Mitsubishi Ralliart Finland? Juha Kangas Jani Laaksonen 1 EMEX? Riho Parts Aare Kaaristo 1, 6 Mikko Dahlman? Mikko Dahlman Risto Niukkanen 1, 6 Resupra Auto Sport? Harun Nasution "Uche" 3 Mikio Saito? Mikio Saito Masahiko Tanaka 3 Daniel Preto? Daniel Preto Ricardo Kember 5 MK RattenGalant VR-4? Anders Rådström Lars-Ove Larsson1 Race-Rent MotorsportSubaruImpreza WRX Gustavo Trelles Jorge Del Buono 1 Subaru Team Sweden? Bror Danielsson Arne Johansson 1 Subaru Rally Team JapanImpreza Wagon? Patrick Njiru Rick Mathews 2? Hideaki Miyoshi Tinu Khan 2Impreza WRX Colin Smith 7? Tanveer Alam Tariq Alam 2? Jamil Khan Peter Stone 2 Jim Heather-Hayes? Jim Heather-Hayes Surinder Thatthi 2 Nishit Patel? Nishit Patel Farakh Yusuf2 Tein Sport Junior Team Shigeyuki Konishi Hakaru Ichino3 Yoshimasa Nakahara7 Michael Lieu3 Edmond Lim7 Piergiorgio BediniFordEscort RS Cosworth Piergiorgio Bedini Luciano Tedeschini1 Scuderia Città di Monselice Giovanni Manfrinato Claudio Condotta8 Fabio Bolognesi Fabio Bolognesi G Tofani8 Luca Baldini Luca Baldini Massimo Agostinelli8 Roberto Cirio? Roberto Cirio Umberto Tesi8 Alberto Alberti? Giancarlo Storti Andrea Nicoli9 "Simetra"Sierra RS Cosworth? "Simetra" "Azet"4 Mark TilburyNissanPulsar GTi-R? Mark Tilbury Bill Kirk2 Tomoyuki Yamanaka? Tomoyuki Yamanaka Kohei Kusaka4 Níkos PolitanosSunny GTI-R? Níkos Politanos Giorgos Vlahos4 Stefan ReiningerRenaultClio Williams? Stefan Reininger Robert Csösz1, 4–5 Gamace MC Competición Jordi Grinyó Samira Lanaya9 Kia Motorsport KoreaKiaSephia? Dean Herridge Rod van der Straaten3, 7 Petronas EON Racing TeamProtonWira 4WD Karamjit Singh Allen Oh3, 7 Katsuhiko Taguchi Fred Gocentas7 Pavlos MoschoutisMazda323 GT-R Pavlos Moschoutis Giorgos Petropoulos4 Andorra Auto ClubSEATIbiza GTi 16V Ferran Font Eduard Andueza5, 7 JLM Team David Nafría F. Gallego9 Alejandro SchmaukDaewooCielo? Alejandro Schmauk Jaime Rojas5 Norberto Gomez? Norberto Gomez Gustavo Dechecchi5 Enrique LevalleSuzukiSwift GTi? Enrique Levalle Heriberto Carlos Ortiz5 Marcelo Regunaschi? Marcelo Regunaschi Angel Blázquez5 Pasi HagströmToyotaCelica GT-Four (ST205) Pasi Hagström Tero Gardemeister6 Promosport ItaliaOpelAstra GSi 16V? Eugenio Lozza Antonella Fiorendi8 Marco Tempestini Michele Giovanni Viel8 A.I.APeugeot106 Rallye Miguel Fuster José Vicente Medina9

Results and standings

Drivers' championship Pos Driver SWE KEN INA GRE ARG FIN AUS ITA ESP  Pts  1 Tommi Mäkinen 1 1 Ret 2 1 1 1 Ret 5 123 2 Colin McRae 3 4 Ret 1 Ret Ret 4 1 1 92 3 Carlos Sainz 2 Ret 1 3 2 Ret 3 2 Ret 89 4 Kenneth Eriksson 5 2 Ret 5 3 5 2 5 7 78 5 Piero Liatti 12 5 2 4 7 DNS 7 Ret 2 56 6 Bruno Thiry 6 5 11 6 3 3 44 7 Juha Kankkunen 4 3 2 37 8 Freddy Loix 7 4 4 24 9 Richard Burns Ret 4 5 Ret 18 10 Marcus Grönholm 7 4 14 11 Gilberto Pianezzola 8 6 7 13 12= Ian Duncan 3 12 12= Jarmo Kytölehto 3 Ret Ret 12 14 Yoshio Fujimoto 4 9 12 15 Thomas Rådström 6 Ret 6 Ret 12 16 Patrick Bernardini 9 9 10 6 11 17 Reza Pribadi 5 8 18 Stig Blomqvist 8 7 Ret 7 19 Rui Madeira Ret 8 9 Ret 9 7 20= Kenjiro Shinozuka 6 6 20= Michael Lieu 6 Ret 6 20= Franco Cunico 6 6 23= Shigeyuki Konishi 7 25 4 23= Sebastian Lindholm Ret 7 4 25 Didier Auriol 10 8 4 26 Angelo Medeghini Ret 12 10 9 10 4 27= Hideaki Miyoshi 8 29 3 27= Irvan Gading 8 3 27= Lasse Lampi 8 3 27= Peter 'Possum' Bourne 8 3 27= Oriol Gómez 8 3 32= Tomas Jansson 9 2 32= Patrick Njiru 9 2 32= Chandra Alim 9 2 35= Jonathan Toroitich 10 1 35= Bambang Hartono 10 1 35= Jean-Pierre Richelmi 10 1 35= Uwe Nittel 16 14 10 16 DSQ Ret 16 1 35= Ed Ordynski 10 1 Pos Driver SWE KEN INA GRE ARG FIN AUS ITA ESP  Pts 

Manufacturers' championship